Private Ward

The two immortals, Ivar and Devin, decided to visit the city's hospital in search of souls for his consumption. This is another way of their methods for him to satisfy his hunger.

Rather than get depressive souls, feel their emotions and see their memories, he can also get the souls of those people who are about to die.

Getting the souls of those who are dying can be easier... if only Heraleen, the Almighty Seraphim, didn't limit him to only one place in the human world.

To Devin, this city is like his prison—being trapped here for more than a hundred of years, not being able to explore other parts of the human world.

"Where shall we look for these souls," Ivar asked as they magically passed through the hospital walls like a wandering spirit.

The humans cannot see them—as they are invisible to those humans who aren't ready to die. Put it simply, Devin is only seen when a person is near death. But for Gladios, he was the only exception.

"We'll look as we go," Devin answered as they both sauntered inside the hospital.

The hospital corridor is stuffy and the air has an undertone of bleach. The walls are magnolia and are scraped in places from the hundreds of trolleys that have bumped into them.

The pictures on the walls are cheap benign prints of uplifting scenes and above the double doors are large blue plastic signs with the areas of the hospital that lie ahead.

Nowhere is the chronic underfunding more evident than in the hallways. They are for the most part crammed with patients on trolleys, some tended by strained relatives and some alone.

Each of them lies on their back, strapped in—eyes toward the naked fluorescent tubes that flicker as though they are on their last legs.

In the brief gaps between these unfortunates who cannot afford the exorbitant private fees, the pale blue walls are deeply scored by the metal framed trollies, the drywall showing though like white scars. The cheap prints on the walls are insipid, so lacking in vibrancy that they appear sun-bleached in this windowless strip.

The confined space magnifies the groans and wails to no avail, the nurses have seen it all before and are immune, hardened by repeat exposure and overwork.

"Hey, hey..." Ivar caught up with Devin's pace then spoke. "How about we get the souls of these poor people dying here? Sorry for the words..."

When the Dominion suggested this, Devin ignored him for a few seconds then answered him.

"Most of them still have a chance in life," he said then he looked at his personal servant, his eyebrow arching up. "Weren't we taught that there are miracles bound to happen on these innocent souls?"

As they walked through the hallways, Ivar found his answer unusual. Knowing his nature of not wanting to prolong the agony, giving the souls a chance to live when they are about to die is something he didn't expect to say.

Especially from a Soul Eater.

"Now you got me thinking... has staying here in the human world changed your perception?"

When Devin stopped in his tracks, it was already enough answer to Ivar's question. The Dominion smiled at Devin as he turned back to look at his personal servant.

"I admit I had learned a thing or two from this curse about how precious human souls are... but I still find my 'grave sin' a justifiable cause to protect our kingdom."

Hearing this answer from Devin, and being reminded of the grave sin he did in their realm, Ivar frowned as they continued walking through the corridors.

"If I may ask, Devin... what made you not eat the souls of these dying souls when it is much easier for you than eating the souls of those depressed people?"

The moment Ivar asked this, they already reached the series of private rooms in the hospital. Devin completely ignored Ivar's question then entered one ward, making his personal servant follow him from behind.

In the private ward, the atmosphere was completely different.

The air had a perfumed scent and the seats were plush. Every surface was dustless. The nurses were unhurried and they moved with a serene purposefulness from room to room on their rounds.

There were vases of flowers and beautiful framed pieces of art on the walls. In the corridor was a water dispenser and in most rooms could be heard the noise of a television.

The man in the bed is old beyond a natural lifespan and seemed to be paying the price. While his heart beats stubbornly within his weak chest, his skin is so fragile—it ruptures on anything more than the softest of touches.

The old man appeared weak, and obviously... it was his time to go.

The old man's eyes opened weakly as he noticed an unfamiliar aura in his room. Slowly, he moved his eyes to the side to see a handsome man with black unkempt hair and purple eyes.

He looked serious as their eyes met, but to the old man, he seemed to have felt nothing—even surprise.

The moment Devin stood beside the old man's bed, he looked down on him then the old man spoke, his voice obviously weak.

"Are you death?"

The Soul Eater gave a small smile, answering his question.

"You could say that... but I am a Soul Eater. I will take your soul since it is about to reach its end."

The old man closed his eyes as he let out a small chuckle.

"So it is my time already," he said then he let out a sigh before he opened his weak eyes again. "I sense another presence. There is someone beside you?"

When Ivar heard this, he made himself visible to the old man then gave him a bright smile.

"Wow... it is rare for a mortal to sense another heavenly being," the Dominion commented as he scratched the back of his head. The old man blinked his eyes a few times then smiled at them.

"Ah... to be blessed with witnessing such things before my death. I only thought this only happened in books or in movies."

The moment he said this, Devin gently sat on the bed, careful not to touch the old man or he would feel pain on his skin.

"Are you ready to go," the Soul Eater asked then the old man looked serious for a moment as he furrowed his brows.

"I am... but the reason why I couldn't let go is because of my granddaughter."

When he said this, Ivar's lips turned into a tight line, remembering that as an angel, he also has responsibilities.

"What about your granddaughter, old man," he asked and the dying mortal gasped some air before he spoke with his shaking lips.

"Oh, she just graduated recently, however... both of her parents died at a young age due to an accident so I was the one who raised her alone. Meaning I am her only family left."

When he said this, tears started forming in his eyes.

"Would it be selfish of this old man to ask a favor of blessing her after my death? My disappearance would mean my dear Elly being left all alone."

After he asked for his request, Devin looked at Ivar. The Dominion smiled at the old man, then nodded, agreeing to his request.

"I am considered an angel with great powers in our realm. I will bless her with good luck. You don't have to worry," Ivar said then the old man smiled with all his might then closed his eyes as if he were to grant himself a nice sleep—his eternal slumber.

"Thank you. My granddaughter will be here soon. Please take me before she sees me. I am already at ease, assured that you will bless my daughter with luck."

With that, the Soul Eater parted the old man's lips slightly and with his rising index finger, the soul of the old man in a form of a white-like shadow, emanated from his body.

As it levitated outside his body, it slowly went inside Devin's mouth, making his eyes glow lighter for a second.

At the same time, the granddaughter of the old man entered the room. Sensing the mortal's presence from behind the hospital bed curtain, the two concealed their presence with the use of magic.

"Grandpa, I'm back! And I found a job~!"

Her footsteps echoed inside the room as she walked excitedly towards her grandfather. She slowly sat on his bed, afraid to wake him or to hurt him. Near the window stood the two immortals, watching over the mortal's granddaughter.

"You're usually awake at this time since you're always waiting for me. I did my best to come back after the final interview—"

The moment she held her grandfather's hand, it felt cold, making the joyful emotion of the girl change into a face full of anxiety.

"Granddad?"

Her fingers shakily searched for his pulse but after she touched other parts such as the neck to check his pulse, even put her finger in front of his nose to check his breathing, it made the girl burst into tears.

She ran to open the ward's door then shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Anyone... please! My grandpa... he's... he's not waking up!"

A nurse and a doctor present in the hallway rushed to enter the ward and did a quick check on the old man. When they were assured that there was nothing they could do, they turned to the girl, with an emphatic look on their face.

"I'm sorry, ma'am... but there's nothing we could do. He had already been fighting for a few days and—"

"No!"

She clung on to the doctor's lab coat, feeling desperate. She could no longer control the release of her tears as her grip tightened on the cloth the doctor was wearing.

"You have to do something! My grandfather he's... the only family I got!"

The doctor and the nurse looked at the crying woman in front of them. They felt bad that they weren't able to do anything for the old man but they knew at the same time that it was inevitable.

He had lived for a long time... and fought bravely for his granddaughter.

Feeling defeated, the girl sobbed on her grandfather's chest, crying, her tears bursting forth like a water escaping from a destroyed dam.

They heard the girl's voice, sounding like a distressed child, raw from the inside. Brick by brick, her walls came tumbling down, making her miserable and vulnerable.

With that, Devin averted his eyes from the scene, looked at Ivar then walked away after giving his order.

"Bless the child then we'll go home."

Hearing this, Ivar sighed as he walked behind the crying girl, placed his hand over her head, chanted his blessing under his breath, and blessed the girl with luck. Afterwards, Ivar quickly left the room and followed Devin exit the hospital.

As the two were walking home, Devin spoke all of a sudden, slightly surprising him.

"Remember your question a while ago before we entered the room?"

When he asked this, Ivar recalled and indeed remembered what he had asked Devin a while ago.

It was asking him why he preferred eating depressive souls than those souls that are already dying.

The Soul Eater suddenly turned back to look at his personal servant. Ivar at the same time was at a loss for words when he saw that Devin was about to cry—an unusual expression of him indeed.

"The scene a while ago is the answer. It is unbearable for me to see such emotional moments."